The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1887-06-23
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.

The political atmosphere Of Washing.
ton has been quite as feveriah and dis-,
turbed since.the Presidents return from
Saranac Lake, as it ever is during the
session Of Congress. First came the
Norris Vance correspondence, which has
created no little uneasiuess at-the White
House. Many politicians of both parties
have been disposed to look upon it as a
declaration of war upon. the President.
The more conservative public men, how
ever, regard it as nothing more than a
candid expression Of an honest mans
dissent from the Presidents views Of
party policy, with no malice back OFF it.
The Elk, Governors brother Senators all
respect his strong convictions and sin.
lcsrity of. views and actions, and know,
as stated in his letter, he "does not abuse
the President in the cloak room and
praise him in public" for the few crumbs
that fall from the Republican tables.
The Inference drawn.from the just quoted
clause Of the letter, is that many Of the
Senators do deal double with his Excel.
lency,; and there is more truth than
fiction in It, even tho the Senator did
not mean to intimate such a thing, and
the President may 6ndeit out to his sor-
row, when the time comes to select dele.
gates to the next National convention.
There is no doubling the fact from
visible signs at the Capital that while
most Of the leading Democrats interview.
ed on the subject praise President Cleve-
lands administration publicly for the
good Of the party, as is believed, still
they secretly oppose his policy, and will
terminate it,if possible, by the selection
of another stsndard bearer in 1888.
The President is thought TO be desirous
of getting q denomination, and cautiously
laying his plans and taking deep water
sonndings with that end in view, and
hence the quickness with which criti.
cisms Of the Senator's letter appeared In
papers that stand close to the White
House. The administration has its
strong and its weak points, and no doubt
bothswill be thoroughly ventilated before
the; next President occupies the chair,
and it is not my purpose to side with
either party 70 the controversy, but give
your readers the prevailing views at the
|scenter Of the political arena:
Nothing has created such excitement
for years as the announcement that the
War Department would return to the
Southern States the flags captured by tile
Federal Troops during the civil war.
Not only have the gorgeously3 fitted up
quarters of the Cabinet officers in their
respective Departments been crowded
with protestants, But also the Mansion Of
1.-The President himself The. Grand
Army men at their rendevouses held
indignation camp fires; and matters in
general looked very hostile until the
Presidents pacific order resembling all
previous orders became known. The
determination to return the flags was the
outcome Of the National Drill lately held
here. The era Of. good feeling which
then prevailed between the military of
the different sections, led the President
to believe that now was the time to show
by some public act that there was q
thorough reconciliation betweenthe once
divided sections Of our country, and as
the most effective means twas determine
ed to return the captured battle flags.
The consequences has been just the con.
;trary of what was expected, and such q
storm Of opposition to the project has
arisen as to. appall the Administration.
/ The proposition may have arisen from
patriotic motives, but was ill.adviaed as
the consequences show. The flags in
question were. all stored away in the
archives Of tho War Department, where
they; could excite no animosity OF Sec
2tional feeling Of any kind, and to che
outside world were buried as twas hoped
the ,recollections of the past were. It is
believed that the Southern States are not
80. foolishly sentimental as to desire their
return, as they could be but visible
memorial Of having lost both the flag
and the cause, however brayely the
,southerners may have fought in defence
of their views, There is one thing Ger.
tain, and, that is, that the Republicans
were mot slow 10 take advantage Of the
political opportunity afforded, and will
;uss the material for all il is worth from
now until after the next Presidential
campaign. q.